Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-08-19
LOCAL.
SENATOR R|DDLEBE RGER
IN JAIL.

JUDGE NEWMAN COMMITS HIM FOR 10
DAYS FOR CONTEMPT-HE is RESCUED
FROM JAIL BY HIS FRIENDs-RETURNs
VOLUNTARILY AND THEN LEAVES
AGAIN-THE JUDGE BURROUGHS HIM
FOR FEW DAYS ON ACCOUNT OF ILL
HEALTH.
&C., &C., &C.
Reported for the Staunton VINDIcAToR.l
WOODSTOCK, MONDAY Aug. Is.
Sitting in rocking chair on the porch
of the county Jail, when I arrived here at
noon to-day, was Senator Riddleberger.
He was dressed in double breasted dark
coat, pants of a lighter color and in view
of the hot weather was without cravat.
On the benches Of the porch sat a half
dozen of his friends. including Gen. Jam es
FL. Williams, and just as got to the spot
a fine looking young fellow came up the
path to the porch and laying canteIope
fifteen inches in diameter at the Senator's
feet said: ''There Senator; there's the
biggest muskmelon in Shenandoah county
for YOU" When the Senator caught
sight of me coming up he burst into a
laugh and cried out ''Just as l expected,
1 thought you would be coming down here
when anything is going on.' He greeted
me cordially, and after introducing ME to
his friends said: swell now what have
you come for ?'' I replied that l had
merely caiied to get any statement he
might wish to make about the event in
hand. If be desired to make any would
be glad to have it, and, if not, should
have to hunt up my facts elsewhere. He
thought a moment and pointing across
the street said: "There's -- go and
see him. 1 don't think [ have anything L
want to say just now"
The gentleman he pointed out was
member of the bar who | had a moment
before seen in the court house, with sever
al other members of the bar, addressing
Judge Newman in behalf of Senator Rid
dIeberger's release. OF course | went to
him and to many others before L finished,
and from all the information given me,
think the following is a straight statement
of the events that have taken place IN
Woodstock during the past five days.
HOW THE TROUBLE COMMENCED.
In the County Court of Shenandoah on
Wednesday evening last. Judge E. D.
Newman presiding, the case OF the Com
monwealth Us. W. W. Jones, was called.
1t was a prosecution for a mlsdemeanor,
and the defendant is after a fashion "well
known in his section of the county. 1t
was put off to the following day, Thursday,
when it came up. 1t Was case of minor
Importance, but it would appear that tie
defendant had gone around getting every
lawyer he could see, 50 when IL came up
Messrs. Williams, Allen, Keller, Riddle
berger, Walker ano Logan were all en-
gagged for the defendant. OF course il
wys not long before the prisoner had nc
counsel at all, they having all retired.
Gen. Williams suggested the appointment
of counsel for the prisoner by the court
and the Judge appointed Judge IL. G. AL
len who declined. The sanity of the pris-
Oner being in question, the court ordered
commission lunatico de anquirendo to tr.
that question On the testimony of physl
clans and other witnesses the jury fount
the prisoner insane.
In the meanwhile Senator Riddlebargsr
who had been absent from the court room
during these proceedings, returned to it.
objected to them, and announced that
both counsel and court were acting IN
Justly to him in permitting them, and that
the Jury should have rendered verdict 0
mot guilty" Finally he left the cour
room.
THE TROUBLE OF FRIDAY.
On Friday morning, at II o'clock, th
court was disturbed by noise outside O.
bows and men hallooing. 1t was 50 lout
that large part of the spectators wer
drawn out of the court room into th
street, and the members of jury then II
the box attempted to follow them. Upol
investigation, it turned out that w. w
Jones, the prisoner, had come to tow
drunk and that Mr.. Riddleberger had go1
ten piece of card board about Toe
square and with a marking pot had mari
ed on it lot of unlntelligibie nonsense
The VINDICAToR's representative got tn
card board and submitted it to ha
dozen gentlemen for deciphering. Ali thu
could be made of it was-"The verde
sane; no for the prisoner but the Jur
court between Judge, counsel -" IN
he got Jones to put around his neck an
ride in wagon up and down the stree
This it was that caused the noise.
ORDERED TO JAIL.
Upon information of this, Judge New
man issued a rule against heidelberg
about 2. M. returnable at =. M. III
officer left the notice with Mr.. Riddleoe
gers mother, he not being at home. AT
P. M. Riddleberger appeared in the coul
room and said he understood a rui9 Ia
been issued against him OF which he ha
received no official copy, but he hoped b
was In time.
Judge Newman replied that such a ru
had been issued and p. M. was the tin
for its return.
Mr.. Riddleberges replied that be won
be there, and few minutes past 8 c'clot
lie was there.
When the court met, r. Informed it TIL
he had been waiting, and there had bee
no call of his case.
Judge Newman also claimed that he tt
bad been waiting.
Mfr. Riddleberger objected to the retul
by the Sheriff, claiming that it had
been legally executed.
The court claimed that it had been
gally executed, and even If this was not
RS appearance in court cured all detec
of the return.
MIR. Riddleberger then commenced
speech in which he claimed that he had
right to object to th Re return, and went {